Friday morning mishmash

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Hi guys,

1. Today’s schedule:

10:00 AM

PBO receives the presidential daily briefing.
10:55 AM

PBO is interviewed by WSOC Charlotte, WSVN Miami and WPVI Philadelphia
11:00 AM  
12:00 PM  
1:00 PM

VPB will attend an event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
2:00 PM  
3:00 PM  
4:00 PM  
5:00 PM  
6:00 PM  
7:00 PM  
8:00 PM  
9:00 PM  
10:00 PM  
10:15 PM

The first family departs the White House en route Andrews Air Force Base.
10:35 PM

The first family departs Andrews Air Force Base en route to Brasilia, Brazil.

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2. West Wing Week:

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3. St. Patrick’s Day reception at the WH last night. Please take few minutes to listen to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s remarks. I wish people in this country would show PBO even half  the respect the Taoiseach is showing here:

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4. Speaking of, look for a wonderful Irish reception when PBO goes to visit there on May.

Obama visit promises us national moment of hope

…

HE’S about as Irish as Tony Cascarino. But the visit of US President Barack Obama, — of the O’Bamas of Leinster, as Taoiseach Enda Kenny said in the White House — will be warmly welcomed by a country used to hitting the international headlines for the wrong reasons.

Kenny’s honeymoon period in office just got a guaranteed extension to at least the end of May.

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5. Check out this letter to the editor written by someone who might as well be one of us:

LETTER: President Obama has stood by his promises

President Barack Obama has fulfilled several campaign promises in just his short time in office even though he inherited two wars, a bad economy, trillion dollar deficits, and a broken health care system.

Political critics, pundits and so-called experts, paid by lobbyist or corporations all have something to gain by knocking or putting down these accomplishments. Of course the Republican Party is trying to win back something they lost in 2008 so they are just plain mad.

Ultimately the president’s biggest victory has been Health Care Reform and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. They provide every American opportunity for affordable health insurance. This is federal law so do not be intimidated by state lawmakers and their rhetoric. Federal law will always overrule state law so go purchase your affordable health care insurance today.

As a veteran and married to a retired veteran, I am extremely proud of our president for keeping his promise in ending combat operations in Iraq and right now our troops have begun returning home.

Discrimination has no place in any society so the president’s signing of legislation that brought an end to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in our military as well as Fair Pay legislation for women, helps to protect against civil rights and work place discrimination.

President Obama also signed into law student loan reform that makes college more affordable for students and he adequately funded programs like Race to the Top and Educate to Innovate, which give our local schools the tools and resources they need to be successful. The new and improved GI Bill will make college affordable for returning service members.

Change does not happen overnight. The media and the other side would have you think otherwise. I stand by my president and the promises he has kept.

TERRY MCMOORE

CLARKSVILLE 37042

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120 thoughts on “Friday morning mishmash”

  4. That letter to the editor was great. Hope everyone had a nice St. Patrick’s Day and best wishes to all from Iowa.

  5. I just saw breaking news on my msn.com that Libya is going to halt military action…stay tuned!!!

  9. edit button…. lol. It looks like quaddafi army may be doing some thinking though.

  10. I think the BWD could stand to make a little space for the UN authorisation of action against Gaddafi forces in Libya. During the two weeks that commentator after commentator was asking Why Isn’t Obama Doing Anything, his administration was clearly putting a lot of behind-the-scenes effort into getting all their ducks in a row.

    Now, quite suddenly, over about 48 hours, here’s the Arab League calling for a UN resolution and here’s the resolution and here’s the security council vote, and here’s everybody either abstaining or voting yes, and here’s everything in place to stop Gaddafi. And here’s a huge city, Benghazi, full of people cheering for the UN and its vote to intervene.

    This simply does not happen over a 48 hour timescale. Ever. It happens when somebody does the spadework first and THEN tables the resolution.

    Sun Tzu said: victorious generals gain victory and THEN give battle.

    Obama’s career is littered with the remains of people who wondered why Obama wasn’t fighting them, right up until they discovered that he wasn’t fighting because he was busy winning.

    They never learn.

  11. I love how President Obama is going around the truth-mangling national press and giving interviews to local reporters around the country in a brilliant move to get the facts to the people. It’s a shame that this is necessary, but it’s necessary.

  13. They never learn.

    I keep saying they still underestimate him, despite being wrong over and over again.

  14. Thank God thank God thank God. Now that’s some great news for this wonderful Friday.

  15. I think he was asking you to write about it. I’d love to see a piece too, but after this dynamic situation is over and we have time to properly digest it, and more information. That’s usually what you do anyway; comment after there’s information, such as when the wonderful Wisconsin 14 publicly confirmed that President Obama was with them all along, as we suspected. You wrote about it when we got that confirmation and incontrovertible facts.

  17. He’s really focusing on Miami it seems. Was at the highschool a week or so with Jeb Bush, giving this local television interview now, and will deliver commencement address at Miami-Dade Community College next month.

  18. Great comment. I cannot express how relieved I am that there is no cowboy in the WH shooting from the hip or letting the media goad him into mistakes.

  19. Good morning, all. I was glad to see the headline on the MSN site about Libya stopping military operations, and I hope it’s true because I really, really, don’t want us involved in another conflict in the ME.

    I love the second pic of PBO with VP Biden kissing FL Michelle on the cheek. Too cute!

  20. I can’t cover everything – i am only one person…. – and i try to focus on stuff that might be a little less approachable to everyone. It’s not like i can add anything to the flooding of Libya/Japan information, and the comment sections is a much better tool for the non-stop required update.

  22. bwd, how do you feel about an actblue page to raise donations for OFA? I’m going to be giving a number of donations to the campaign this year and next, and would prefer to give through your page, as you deserve so much credit for keeping our energy high and positive. Thoughts?

  24. I’ll have to think about it, my dear. I’m not sure that i want to start dealing with anything that is money-related. Maybe as we get closer to the actual campaign.

  25. Truth. Just to clarify, I wasn’t trying to be critical; I was just saying that I’ve noticed that with events like this, you tend to cover them after the situation has been resolved and we have confirmed facts and information. Not criticizing you in the slightest, that’s a compliment in my eyes.

  26. From your link, KH:

    “Rebel forces in Benghazi reacted with joy to the UN resolution, but a government spokesman condemned UN “aggression”. One of Col Gaddafi’s sons, Saif al-Islam, said the resolution was “unfair” as Libya had not been bombing civilians.”

    The spinning by Gaddafi and Saif begins. I know that they know that the reason for the UN resolution was to stop the Gaddafis from killing their own citizens, and they know it, too, otherwise, why would they be so willing to stop the military operations so quickly? They know that they have been the aggressors using violence against their own citizens. They already have enough money. If they were not up to no good, they would have left the country shortly after the protests started. LIARS.

  30. This is the sentence that makes me proud

    “The intervention, which is expected to be enforced by Britain, France, the US, Norway and Qatar, bans military aircraft from flying in Libyan airspace, but not commercial or humanitarian flights.”

    Notice, it is not just the US, it is a team effort. Such a smart move by Obama and SOS.

  31. Stripping out the typos and hasty typing (sorry), I think I meant that there should be room somewhere in the mishmash to highlight the UN resolution as an achievement this week. Sorry if it read weird.

  32. Thanks as always, BWD, for bringing us key information that we would not see otherwise. I am constantly amazed at how clueless the media is when it comes to foreign policy. They whine and complain about him hosting and visiting foreign leaders when what he is doing is building critical relationships that will benefit the U.S. economically and in situations like Libya.

    With Libya he has shown how patience, working behind the scenes and building relationships can stop these dictators.

    While everyone was crying for him to declare a no-fly zone, PBO was working behind the scenes to make sure it was a coalition of countries — including Arab nations — that united behind the effort to stop Gadaffi (don’t know how to spell the dictator’s name; have seen it spelled a million different ways).

    What happens? UN resolution and the dictator now declares a ceasefire.

    Again, President Obama is brilliant.

  33. Oh, on that pic of Biden kissing Michelle: be careful, Joe. PBO’s got his eye on you. 🙂

  34. There’s been a lot of weird criticism in the UK press from people who didn’t seem to grasp that there was no way the USA could possibly be seen as leading the charge on the resolution; it would be perceived as “Let’s bomb more Arabs”. It had to be visibly spearheaded by Europe and the Arab world- which is why Britain, France and Lebanon were the ones to table the resolution.

    But it was never going to happen without US backing and of course only the US had the leverage to keep Russia and China onside and prevent a veto.

    So there was a period of intense diplomacy- perceived by critics as inaction, and by Gaddafi as indecision- leading to a very quick and very, very well crafted resolution. It leaves Gaddafi with his pants round his ankles, or his tanks round his pantles, or something 🙂

  35. Thanks for the link to the Independent article. There was a bit of a cheap shot at PBO’s foreign policy experience, but I shot off a complaint and demanded an answer. [Obama’s foreign policy is less than surefooted but he’s still a rock star with the public.] Told them that totally offended me as he has had more and more successful foreign policy experience than any other President in decades. We’ll see what they respond. The rest of the article was just fine.

  37. think so, my twitter timeline for cnn says ‘no ceasefire on ground’, but who knows.

  38. I like the last sentence, especially the part I’ve highlighted in italics:

    Obama’s career is littered with the remains of people who wondered why Obama wasn’t fighting them, right up until they discovered that he wasn’t fighting because he was busy winning.

    Nice.

  39. Good morning BWD and this great family. I watched the reception yesterday at Whitehouse.gov. Love the Irish being so excited the Obama’s are coming. And now the are off to South America! Can’t wait for BWD’s mishmash’s about the trip. Have a great day!

  40. That Art of War quote is one of the best “in a nutshell” descriptions of our President’s way of working that I have seen. Thanks.

  42. Here’s the real (horrendous) legacy of Geoorge W. Bush: it isn’t ‘leadership’ unless it’s knee jerk response and brutal and blustery.

    Here’s what I really don’t understand: you would think everyone on the Left would be universally behind a President who has returned policy and dealing with emergency situations to careful planning and strategic thinking. After bitching about Bush’s approach to damn near everything, wouldn’t you assume that all the leftie pundits would be THRILLED to have a President who uses his head? Instead of shooting off his mouth, not knowing who was behind him or why his bluster would cause more problems than solutions?

    After Egypt? Seriously? What the hell is wrong with these people. And yes, I’m talking to YOU, Eugene Robinson. You didn’t learn a God damned thing from Egypt? Seriously?

    But, no. This is what has become the definition of ‘leadership’: if you’d don’t bluster and plow ahead with as big a stick as you can wave, you’re not a leader.

    God.

  43. I love how the MSM is trying to lump the nuclear disaster in Japan, with the nuclear reactors here in the US!
    And their underlying message is, that obama has failed in keeping us safe!
    Poppy cock!

  44. I also think it is dangerous that Netenyahu is seeing all these evangelical Preisdential hopefuls!
    Obviously, he needs support! LIke Merkel said, he has done nothing to advance Peace in the region!

    But Palin! Really?

  45. Good morning, folks.

    Today is the third anniversary of then-Senator Obama’s historic speech on race.

  46. The MSM is so desperate that they use every opportunity to tie it to President Obama as his “Katrina” no matter how ridiculous it may be. I think people are more and more on to the media’s antics. Its credibility has dropped considerably in the last two years.

  50. “The UN Security Council resolution, which was passed late Thursday after weeks of deliberation, set the stage for airstrikes, a no-fly zone and other military measures short of a ground invasion. Britain announced that it would send fighter jets and France was making plans to deploy planes, but the US had yet to announce what its role would be. Nato also held an emergency meeting.”

    “With the international community mobilizing, Koussa said the government would cease fire in line with the resolution, although he criticised the authorisation of international military action, calling it a violation of Libya’s sovereignty.”

    “The government is opening channels for true, serious dialogue with all parties,” he said during a news conference in Tripoli, the capital.

    //

    “The Western powers faced pressure to act urgently after weeks spent deliberation over what to do about Gaddafi as his regime gained momentum. The US has positioned a host of forces and ships in the region, including submarines and destroyers and amphibious assault and landing ships with some 400 Marines aboard. It also could provide a range of surveillance assets.”

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/libya-declares-ceasefire-after-un-vote-2245710.html

  51. At least progressive radio has been playing the McCain clip over and over from the campaign: “Obama wants nuclear safety, blah, blah, blah”. I’m paraphrasing the beginning, but the ‘blah, blah, blah’ is a direct quote from a Republican a-hole.

  53. President Obama will speak about Libya early Friday afternoon, an administration official says.

    The U.N. Security Council voted Thursday to authorize a no-fly zone over Libya, which has since declared a military cease-fire. — Glenn Thrush

  55. very true, but then there is the other side of their brains that flipped out yesterday right before and after the UN vote. DESPITE taking entirely proper steps to come to that vote UNLIKE the last guy, they STILL compared him to George bush, Iraq and Afghanistan.

    Andrew Sullivan declared on his blog that we are now at war.

    I appreciate that people are always looking back to make sure we are not repeating the same mistakes but it just gets ridiculous sometimes and normally intelligent folks start to sound dumb.

    I don’t know what’s happening to Eugene lately. I think he has been hanging around certain people for too long and may need to step outside the bubble and check himself.

  56. Both the liberal MSM(except for rachel) is in Knee deep in trying to placate their so called base!
    However, I guess, our base is alot more disloyal than there base is!

  57. “We’ve seen an earthquake and tsunami render an unimaginable toll of death and destruction on one of our closest friends and allies in the world,” Obama said in brief remarks at the White House after a visit to the Japanese Embassy to offer his condolences.”

    “Obama said he had asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct a “comprehensive review” of the safety of all U.S. nuclear plants.”

    “When we see a crisis like the one in Japan, we have a responsibility to learn from this event and to draw from those lessons to ensure the safety and security of our people,” Obama said.

    “There are 104 nuclear reactors in the United States, providing roughly 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. “Nuclear energy is an important part of our own energy future,” Obama said.”

    “A leading industry group agreed with the review. “A review of our nuclear plants is an appropriate step after an event of this scale and we expect that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct its own assessment,” said Marvin Fertel, president of the Nuclear Energy Institute. “The industry’s highest priority is the safe operation of 104 reactors in 31 states and we will incorporate lessons learned from this accident…”

    http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/obama-reassures-japans-radiation-wont-reach-us/aebd140f9c03424da506c494a63ceb5d

  58. Also, does POTUS get any respect for putting together that no fly zone(despite republicans wanting to go in unilaterally)and getting Libya to cease fire?
    Probably NOT! The MSM ONLY wants to know why Nuclear reactors were built on faults. These facilities were built in the 1970s, around the time POTUS was playing BB for his Hawaiian HS team!
    But, I guess that is his fault, too!

  59. Here you go BWD:

    Well, the timing is a little awkward: A state fiscal monitor is closing Barack H. Obama Elementary School in Asbury Park, N.J., citing low academic achievement and a dropoff in enrollment.

    This is education month at the White House.

    “Change is never easy, but the district is at a pivotal point where difficult decisions must be made,” Superintendent of Schools Denise Lowe said in a statement, reports the Asbury Park Press.

    Change was a key theme of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. The school, originally built in 1910, was named for the president last year.

    “We needed a change — we need to fix our school district,” said Nina Summerlin, the Parent-Teacher Organization president at both the Obama and middle schools.

    http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0311/education_month_dadbdad0-8ad0-460d-bba4-33ae48664b20.html

  61. Vice President Biden told labor leaders on Thursday that the White House supports public workers and will “make sure their rights are protected,” the AFL-CIO says.

    “You built the middle class. This fight is not about wages or benefits; it’s about trying to break unions. We absolutely, positively need collective bargaining,” Biden said on the conference call with labor figures, according to a blog post from the AFL-CIO.

    According to the post, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis chimed in: “That’s important to remember now that as states and cities grapple with enormous fiscal challenges and everyone we know is making sacrifices and meeting those challenges. But some states’ leaders have gone too far. Budget sacrifices are one thing, but having union members give up their rights is another.”

    Biden and Solis alluded to Wisconsin’s budget battle after Gov. Scott Walker wrote in The Washington Post: “Contrary to what the Obama administration would lead you to believe, most employees of the federal government do not have collective bargaining for wages and benefits. That means the budget reform plan we signed into law in Wisconsin on Friday is more generous than what President Obama offers federal employees.”

    _______________
    Of course, 37% of federal employees are involved in a union!

  62. Anybody who pays honest attention to the President gets it, I think–like anybody who reads this site. I also think a lot of people who don’t have time to pay a lot of attention, but have learned to trust President Obama also get it.

    It seems to be the peopl on both extremes who make sure their negativity gets noticed. I think some on the left want a “liberal” version of George Bush. Even though they may have hated his policies, they are jealous of his swagger and “Screw y’all, I’m doing what I want” approach. They also don’t seme to understand that the President doesn’t act that way, and it would be a disaster if he did.

    As for the right–well, they’re just sore losers.

  63. Mar 17, 2011 23:13 EDT

    A NASA spacecraft began orbiting Mercury, becoming the first to fly around the solar system’s innermost planet, the space agency said.

    The craft, known as MESSENGER, began the orbit around 9:00 pm (0200 GMT) on a mission to circle the planet for one Earth year in an unprecedented study of the tiny, hot planet.

    The spacecraft began its journey more than six years ago, traveling through the inner solar system and embarking on flybys of Earth, Venus and Mercury.

    NASA said that by achieving orbit, “this marks the first time a spacecraft has accomplished this engineering and scientific milestone at our solar system’s innermost planet.”

    For the next several weeks, engineers will be focused on ensuring the spacecraft’s systems are all working well in Mercury’s harsh thermal environment.

    Starting on March 23, the instruments will be turned on and checked out, and on April 4 the mission’s primary science phase will begin.

    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2011/03/nasa_spacecraft_is_first_to_orbit_mercury.php?ref=fpa

  65. I think it’s generally the job of politicla pundits, no matter what persuasion, to keep their base “pissed off.” That way they’ll tune in to feed the anger. (I too give Rachel a little more credit here, though.)

    BWD’s “Good News” aproach is a much-needed antidote to this poision.

  66. Dept. of Manufactured, Silly Scandals: Outrage About Obama’s NCAA Brackets

    “In the absence of real White House controversies and scandals, we apparently have to put up with routine “outrages” over manufactured nonsense. It’s getting pretty annoying.”

    “How many times have conservatives pretended to be incensed over some meaningless flap?”

    “Remember the not-so-scandalous Department of Homeland Security report about potentially violent extremists, which prompted some conservatives to call for Janet Napolitano’s resignation?”

    “Or how about the apoplexy over President Obama encouraging kids to do well in school?”

    “Remember the comparisons to Watergate when the White House offered a congressman a job?”

    “This week, we’re apparently stuck watching Republicans hyperventilate because the president appeared on ESPN for nine minutes to fill out an NCAA tournament bracket.”

    http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/531984/dept._of_manufactured%2C_silly_scandals%3A_outrage_about_obama%27s_ncaa_bracket?page=entire

  68. Democrats in Arizona are already taking full advantage of rumors that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin could use the state as a base for a 2012 presidential campaign, but how about a run for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Jon Kyl?

    The Arizona Republic noted that a Democratic state lawmaker talked up the rumor last week and at least one Republican strategist in Washington, D.C. doesn’t think it’s completely far-fetched.

    http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/150421-republican-strategist-floats-sarah-palin-for-arizona-senate-seat

    YIKES!

  69. Of course it is. He made up those “faulty” nuclear designs back around the time he was planting the fake birth announcements in the Honolulu newspapers. All part of his demonic plan to restore hope and trust in the United States Government, then destroy it all with an evil laugh.

  70. Of course certain categories of federal employees don’t have collective bargaining. For example all members of the military services, which is a large part of them,. But then, I really don’t want to see the members of the Army, Navy and Air Force go on strike.

  71. Federal judges who have ruled on the constitutionality of healthcare reform have split along but party lines, but they all agree on one thing: The law’s fine for failing to obtain health coverage is a penalty, not a tax.

    The three federal judges who have upheld the law so far are all President Clinton appointees, while the two judges who struck it down are Republican picks, so the fact that there is common agreement on the point could be significant.

    http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/146331-judges-agreement-on-healthcare-penalties-not-being-a-tax-is-crucial-point

  72. “On Wednesday, PPP released poll results showing that as voters rapidly soured on Republican Gov. John Kasich….they were simultaneously sounding much more positive about reelecting Sen. Sherrod Brown. Now, it appears that same Democratic bump has buoyed Obama’s reelection odds as well.”

    //

    “In the latest poll, Obama led Mike Huckabee 48% to 41%, and topped Mitt Romney 46% to 40% though he led them by one and two points respectively three months ago. Against Newt Gingrich, Obama’s lead doubled from six to 12 points, while Palin’s deficit slipped from a seven to a 16-point margin.”

    //

    “In December, Obama posted an upside-down approval rating, with 42% of all voters approving of his job performance, including about seven in ten Democrats. Yet now, while Republican and independent support has remained fairly constant, 84% of Democrats are suddenly behind the President.”

    “As with Sherrod Brown’s rising support, it appears as though the budget-battle has energized Democratic voters to throw their weight behind their party’s candidates….”

    http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/as-ohio-gop-goes-after-unions-obamas-support-rises.php

  73. See, the key about Bush was that he was one of “us.” The kind of guy you would want to drink a beer with, etc. They can’t stand that this man currently in the WH actually is one of us, grew up like most Americans, not in some privileged world. Has an interest in the same things Joe Smith does. How can they accuse him of being arrogant and removed if he actually participates in the same activity of the majority of people, filling out an NCAA bracket. By the way, he was correct of 14 of the 16 games yesterday. I was only correct on 11. Next year I will wait until his is done before I do mine.

  74. More than 55,000 Recovery-funded projects have been completed since the Recovery Act was signed into law in February 2009, and details about each can be found on a new map in Recovery.gov’s Map Gallery. The projects – funded individually by contracts, grants, or loans – total approximately $25.4 billion. In addition to identifying recipients, the map also shows where the projects are in relation to the total amount of Recovery funds that have been awarded to each state and territory to date. You can see completed awards by state, congressional district, country, or zip code. You can also choose to see awards right down to the street level or in an aerial view.

    COMPLETED PROJECTS
    Contracts 21,294 $6.2B
    Grants 33,307 $18.9B
    Loans 312 $212M
    Total 55,543 $25.4B

    http://www.recovery.gov/Transparency/MapGallery/Pages/completed.aspx?status=complete&jobsCol=0

  76. If it was not so sad, it would be funny! These people will believe anything about this President and the MSM feeds them! Sadly!

  77. Keep in mind that these comments were made BEFORE the UN Security Council voted unanimously in support of the no-fly zone.

    “And after weeks of ambiguity about an official position on Libya, the Obama administration yesterday said the U.S. would support military action beyond a no-fly zone to prevent a humanitarian disaster. “We need to be prepared to contemplate steps that include, but perhaps go beyond, a no-fly zone at this point, as the situation on the ground has evolved, and as a no-fly zone has inherent limitations in terms of protection of civilians at immediate risk,” U.S. ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said.”

    http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/17/un-no-fly-libya/

  78. So, it is all swift boat stuff… Question: does the MSM only get their reporting from the RNC emails they get everyday? Just saying!

  79. Amen. We discuss challenges and disagreements here too; it’s just that the site proprietor and community have established a (1) tantrum-free zone–disagreements are discussed cleanly, sometimes heatedly, but sans emotional outbursts; and (2) no “POTUS sucks!” premise, the premise which creates the type of content which operates under the assumption that POTUS is poorly motivated or has huge character defects (“President Obama doesn’t care about abc” “If President Obama wanted to, he’d do abc” ” If President Obama weren’t such a spineless wimp yada yada yada”).

    Thank God for this site. Without this space and several others on the blogroll, I would have tuned out of politics entirely by now, and I’m not kidding.

  83. Here’s another article about possible scenarios involving the U.S. and Libya.
    “Details has not fully emerged of how an international military operation might unfold in Libya.”

    “The United States and its NATO partners have several contingencies in place to act quickly, according to an administration official familiar with planning. They include air strikes and cruise missile attacks designed to cripple Libyan air defenses and punish the military units that are leading Gadhafi’s push on opposition strongholds in the east, the official said.”

    “Obama will insist on a major Arab role in any no-fly zone, the official said.”

    http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/18/libya.civil.war/index.html?hpt=C1

  84. The tide may be turning in Arizona. This is good news!(:

    “On the eve of the Arizona state legislature’s historic vote today on a blockbuster array of radical new immigration bills, including a controversial legislative challenge to a US Supreme Court ruling for K-12 education access for undocumented students and 14th amendment birth rights, children from Tucson to Flagstaff held a symbolic sit-in on the Capitol lawn with a reminder that no one would suffer more from the draconian bills than state’s youngest.”

    “In a stunning defeat to Senate President Russell Pearce, every immigration bill was voted down by his own senate today, even though Pearce defiantly declared immigration was a state issue, not a federal one.”

    http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2011/03/17/breaking-news-arizonas-immigration-bills-voted-down-children-lead-the-way/

  85. Which is why ISSA is not going after this anymore! It is almost flawlessly ran~ Also, ISSA is now going after, wait for it, the D.C. mayor! Not kidding!

  86. Again,and again THANK YOU BWD for a great job you do for us here.PBO thinks before he reacts
    we remember the same BS with BP they were saying that he should taken over pluging the hole and clean up.I jusy hear that Donald Trump wants him to hop in the plain to Japan insted of gping to Latin America WOW.what a BS.

  87. I just had a very upsetting experience. I called Rep. John Duncan’s office (as I have been doing weekly since Jan.). I always have the same question: Where are the jobs? I vary what else I say, but my message is always focused on the fact that the R’s ran on creating jobs, but so far the House has done nothing on jobs, creating jobs, etc. Usually a female answers, take my comment & says she will pass it along. Today, it was a male. We ended up in quite an exchange with him INSISTING the House has had jobs bills. BTW, he also insisted that yesterday’s meeting was NOT an EMERGENCY (for de-funding NPR) He refused to pass my message along w/out my name & address….totally refused. I told him that I call every week & have called numerous times in the past few years & never been told that. I asked if this new rule is yet another example of our “new democracy”? He kept insisting w/out my info, he would not pass the message to Rep. Duncan. I told him I don’t want my taxpayer money used for the paper & postage it would cost to send it out, knowing what it will say…..that I just want my congressman to know my thoughts/feelings. I never did give the info. What experiences have you all had when calling offices? I am going to call his local office & see what happens.

  90. “Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) offered an amendment Wednesday night that would ban the federal government from spending any money to advertise on Fox News.”

    “Over the past several years, it has become clear that the Fox News channel is wildly biased,” he said. “They continue to employ a talk show host who called President Obama a racist. They continue to employ several prospective Republican Presidential candidates as ‘analysts,’ giving them hours and hours of free air time. And their parent company has donated millions to GOP-linked groups.”

    “My amendment would prohibit federal funds – taxpayer dollars – from being used for advertising on the partisan, political platform of Fox News.”

    This video was uploaded to YouTube March 17, 2011.

    http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/03/rep-jim-mcgovern-offers-amendment-to-ban-federal-spending-on-fox-news/

  91. This was a great move by PBO very smart by insisting thta the Arab League be involve, Thank God PBO is our President.

  92. I love your comment earlier…went right into my collection of great comments from here.

    Quick FYI…I had to look this up because I was confused about the term ‘table a resolution’. Sure enough: in the UK, Ireland, Canada (perhaps New Zealand and Australia) Table a Resolution means to propose or bring a resolution forward. However in the U.S. it means to postpone consideration of an already proposed resolution.

  93. I call Rep bilirakis office, but I cannot be mean(as his DAD helped me get my VA benefits), instead I tell him what I want him to vote for or against!

  94. Unfortunately, when Republican pundits do that, Republicans are motivated to vote. When you do that to Democrats, they get all demoralized and don’t vote.

  96. Rep. Duncan helped my daughter and son-in-law in 2003 with a military move. I respect him and always vote for him. with these calls, I just want to keep reminding him of the hypocrisy of the Republican House……want him to know I am watching/listening and am an informed voter.

  100. (As long as none of this money goes to defazio or weiner, I am good):

    Vice President Biden isn’t sticking around Washington, either.

    As President Obama leaves for Brazil, Biden will head up to Philadelphia on Friday to help out Democrats’ reelection prospects.

    The White House says Biden will “attend an event for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee” at 1 p.m.

  103. Yes, he does. He was very opposed and outspoken about the Iraq War.

    Update: I called the local office just now. She asked what the message was about. I told her job creation…..the R’s ran on that, but so far, nothing. She said she would transfer me to the right person. Guess who I got???!!!! The same young man. I hung up. I would love to know what is going on……this new policy, etc. Weird for sure!!!!!! Sad and frustrating too.

  104. Because both Republican pundits and the PL bash Dems relentlessly. Not surprised by the result, particularly, the impact upon swing voters who hear the noise and get the message: “Dems for whatever reason or another suck, particularly President Obama and need to be ‘balanced’ by Republicans.”

  106. WASHINGTON — Vice President Biden gave the Obama administration’s most forceful statement of solidarity with organized labor in its current battles around the nation on Thursday, encouraging activists to continue fighting for workers’ rights.

    “You guys built the middle class,” said Biden in a virtual town hall conversation hosted by the AFL-CIO. “I would just emphasize what Hilda [Solis] said and say it slightly different: We don’t see the value of collective bargaining, we see the absolute positive necessity of collective bargaining. Let’s get something straight: The only people who have the capacity — organizational capacity and muscle — to keep, as they say, the barbarians from the gate, is organized labor. And make no mistake about it, the guys on the other team get it. They know if they cripple labor, the gate is open, man. The gate is wide open. And we know that too.”

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/17/biden-union-barbarians-labor_n_837346.html

  108. But but but…according to Mr.Congressman Weiner Obama has no values….WE LIVE IN A CRAZY COUNTRY!

  109. Unfortunately, when Republican pundits do that, Republicans are motivated to vote. When you do that to Democrats, they get all demoralized and don’t vote.

    It is an unfortunate trait. When Democrats were far ahead; when they had a majorities in both houses, all they had to do was not give the keys back.

    Many Democrats couldn’t be bothered to get engaged. Some of them were Velma Hart’s, who were tired of defending the President or whatever.

    Now that they 53% of the state legislatures are GOP and occasionally coordinate their efforts to wage war on the middle class, you have Democrats coming out in great numbers occupying state capitols from Madison to Minnesota.

    It would have been easier to continue winning, as Democrats had been doing since 2008, rather than to lose ground that was gained decades ago and fight from a position of weakness.

    But apparently Democrats must learn this lesson over and over, otherwise they wouldn’t be Democrats.

    For me, there is no political option but Democrats. However, I sure wish, that as a group, we’d be better long term strategists and not keep repeating this grave tactical error of not voting.

  110. David Cameron just gave a great speech on the lead-up to the UN Resolution. I’ll have to try to find a transcript. Screw the British press.

  113. Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s speech was beautiful, you always hear that the Irish have a way with words, well he proved it. I was very moved and thought it was transcendent.

  115. My dream debate: Ed Schultz and Donald Trump. I can’t believe there’s an amphitheater big enough to hold their egos.

    Ed just said on his radio show that Obama was ‘learning’ and was waiting for Schultz to be on the air to make statements about Libya while Schultz was on air to report it. “Maybe he’s not so lacking in media savvy after all.”

    God.

  116. Isn’t our beloved President Irish on his mother’s side? I always thought so… maybe I’m delusional… I’m looking forward to his trips to Ireland and Brazil.

    Thanks BWD for all the positive info in this very tragic month.

  117. cc, thanks for that info. It is helpful to know this. I know he said this earlier. I hope he is able to pull off the insistence of terms of the Arab involvement. If he can make that happen, than he is a bigger man than I already know that he is.

  118. I concur. These people just want a headline to write their lastest hit for people who do not use their brains. We did not expect anything any differently from this bunch.
    I like my President taking in all of his options, weighing them, and mostly thinking of what will affect his men and women who are already serving this nation and the world in a very difficulty situation. He wants to bring all to the table to carry this load for all of our security. His heart is filled with compassion, his mind with precision, and his will with steel for doing the right thing for all of us. I admire that in a leader. These people need to get use to this wonderful leader. But, I like our President moving on and getting the business of the people who sent him to Washington to make change for the better. God bless our President!!

  119. Remember my friends when the President refers to this type of behavior as “Silly Season.” Here we go. But more importantly, I concur with my friends above also: We understand what the media is trying to do to POTUS, and David Plouffe is working their nerves. They have not seen anything yet. God bless David also. He is a sharp cookie for sure!!!! Count on it. David is focus, calm, intelligent, and has the demeanor as POTUS!!! What a team. He is in the right place in this phase of POTUS’s term, and he will certainly be in the right place during the re-election in 2012. We have the “Audacity to Win” as David said in his great book, and We Are, “Keeping the Audacity to Win 2012.!!!”

  120. Thanks again BWD for this site and all of the hard work that you put into making it so wonderful. Please take time to relax and have a restful weekend. We need you and your great work here. Thank you so much!!!HZ

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